


Security blanket

by tsukinotsurugi (forgetfulAmoeba)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Knitting, M/M, not fluffy either I'm afraid, spoilers for developments beyond the anime, touch of angst I think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22452763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgetfulAmoeba/pseuds/tsukinotsurugi
Summary: AU where Erwin is seriously but not mortally wounded.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59





	Security blanket

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a headcanon.
> 
> This probably needs more fleshing out, but I am terrible at writing embellishments, so it is as it is. Apologies.
> 
> A personal indulgence that ended up a shade darker than I was expecting.

Levi lets himself into the small cottage set a little ways from the heart of the village. “Erwin?” he calls out.

“In here,” comes the reply, and Levi strides into the sitting room.

“Tch, you didn’t start a fire again did you? It’s freezing in here.”

“Is it? I didn’t notice,” Erwin responds, and indeed he wouldn’t, not the way he was, seated in a deeply plush albeit faded armchair, a thick woollen blanket over his lap.

In spite of the relaxed position he’s working hard, rhythmic clicking sounds as he twirls a strand of wool between two sticks in a repetitive dance, twirl, click, twirl, click, twirl.

First things first then. “Here, I brought you more wool for your projects.”

“Did you now? Your timing is impeccable. I was on my last ball here and wondering if I’d have to put this one on hold or consider making something else out of it instead.” Nevertheless, he releases the knitting from his left hand, aware that there is more to come.

“How’s things in headquarters?”

“Shitty as always.”

It was a clever prosthetic that Hange had designed, with a spring clamp at the end that could hold an implement easily yet securely, a knitting needle in this case. With a quick twiddle he takes the other half of the work down and sets it on the table beside him before looking up expectantly.

Levi pulls a couple of sealed missives out from his pack and passes them over. “From the queen. And Hange.”

“I see.” Taking the letters, he places one on his lap and carefully breaks the seal on the other singlehandedly. Clumsily he pulls out the wad of papers and starts to read.

Levi is hardly one to sit still watching, so he goes to the fireplace instead and pokes at it. It is stone cold. He takes the opportunity to clean it out thoroughly before setting new logs in to start the fire. Erwin appears to be deep in thought still when he finished, so he makes a tour of the place. There is a middle-aged woman in the village who had been engaged to bring meals up to the retired commander and help keep house, but one can never be too sure. He gets the cleaning cloths from the broom closet and gets to work, wiping down the bookshelf and tidying materials on the large desk in the corner of the sitting room, gives the pantry stocked with a few essential items a quick but thorough once over, and without any qualms makes his way into the bedroom to check the contents of the closet and drawers and make the bed.

Satisfied, he wanders back to the small kitchen and gets the stove going before drawing a kettle of water to heat. He gets the tea set and caddy out and meticulously measures and brews the tea before pouring it out into two warmed cups which he brings out into the sitting room. Setting one beside the former commander, he seats himself on the equally worn sofa and starts to sip his own.

“Thank you Levi,” says Erwin, putting the papers down and taking his cup. They remain silent for a while, enjoying their tea before Levi breaks in with a “So?”

“It’s turbulent times, isn’t it?” responds Erwin calmly.

“When it is ever not?” scoffs Levi in return.

“Indeed,” Erwin agrees with a twinkle in his eye. “But nothing the two of them can’t handle. There are one or two angles that I would suggest are worth keeping an eye on, but otherwise really, they have the situation well in hand. I wish that they would have more confidence in themselves.”

“It’s hard to compare to a living legend.”

This time Erwin barks out a laugh. “I am but a man, and a very lucky one, that’s all.”

“Yes, a very lucky one. That’s why your scarves sell well, especially among the soldiers. People think that the luck of the commander will keep them safe and all that sort of bullshit.”

“As well it might. I enjoy myself greatly making them, a little something of that might have slipped into the material. Thank you for indulging me in my hobby.”

Levi dips his head to hide the colour that has risen in his cheeks. “Profits from the sales more than cover the cost of the materials. I mostly just keep an eye out for decent suppliers,” he mutters.

“The quality has been excellent. The wool that you bring is a joy to work with.”

Levi grunts his acknowledgement. They fall silent for a moment. A thought occurs to him. “Hange still wears one of your early attempts.”

Erwin smiles at that. “Do they now? Not in front of the visitors I hope.”

And there it is, the new development that was the world coming to Paradis, at least this time the unhostile faction, seemingly. The Volunteers, the ones who want to help Paradis in their fight against the world, sharing their resources and their expertise. Were they enemy of the enemy enough to be their true friends?

Erwin finishes his tea. “I better get my reply ready for you.” Picking up the cane propped by the side of his armchair, he uses it to make his way to seat himself at the desk. Another little smile to see the stacks of papers organised into neat piles and the various implements and tools arranged in an orderly fashion. He talks as he picks out the materials he needs to write a letter, Levi watching him from the sofa.

“It’s early days yet, and no harm to go along with the flow, be the ignorant and helpless backwater that has no choice but to accept all the help it can get, take their assistance on technological advances, give them what they want. If they assume they have the upper hand, they’ll be more careless about their true intentions, let slip their colours, and we can devise our strategy based on what way things pan out.”

Erwin’s eyes gleam as he considers the possibilities. Then he turns thoughtful. “My not being at the helm is to our advantage. Let them think all our cards are on the table. Although it would be impossible to keep knowledge of my survival from the outsiders forever, certainly it wouldn’t hurt to let them think that I am more incapacitated than I actually am-”

Levi lets out an irritated huff at that. “And are you not incapacitated enough already? You can barely walk or even take care of yourself as it is, and don’t think I don’t notice when your side pains you. You would have been in a better condition had I broken your legs!”

“But I am alive, and surrounded by loyal friends,” replies Erwin softly. “I think I am allowed to count my blessings.”

He continues in a firm tone, “We will win through yet. It looks like we have to play the long game. The odds appear to be stacked against us, but we’re not out of options yet. We’ll see.”

He continues writing his letters in silence. Levi picks his cup up on his way out to the kitchen and washes up. For a moment he viciously considers tackling the bathroom, but he knows he doesn’t have the time for that, he’d have to head back soon. He settles for wiping down every surface in the kitchen until it shines.

He goes back into the sitting room, where Erwin has the letters sealed and ready for him. Erwin then reaches into the basket beside the desk and pulls out a few knitted items. “Here are a couple more that I’ve completed.”

“And Levi, this one’s for you.” He separates out an elegant cream coloured scarf from the rest. “I tried Hange’s machine. It’s quite useful and gives great results, but it does need a bit of concentration and dedication to the task compared to knitting with needles.”

Levi grumbles, “I still have the one you gave me.”

“But at least this one’s more suited to wearing in public?” says Erwin, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“It doesn’t matter to me. That one’s good for keeping the impression that you’re a decrepit old man.”

A hearty chuckle. “You have a point. Keep it anyway, you might find some occasion to use it.”

Levi stuffs the whole lot unceremoniously into his pack and arranges it on his back. “I’m off so.”

“Take care, and a safe journey back.”

They stare at each other for a moment, before Levi turns to go.

“Don’t die yet, old man,” he says under his breath.

“I won’t,” Erwin returns equally quietly, as Levi lets himself out of the cottage.


End file.
